Head protecting head gear



Aug. 31, 1965 M. A. PLASTINO 3,

HEAD PROTECTING HEAD GEAR Filed Nov. 8, 1963 INVENTOR" MARIOAPLASTINO United States Patent 3,203,003 HEAD PROTECTING HEAD GEAR Mario A. Plastino, 129 Tally Lane, Wantaugh, N31. Filed Nov. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 322,366 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-3) The present invention relates to head-protecting headgear, and especially to head-protecting headgear that is suitable for street and dress Wear, and is an improvement on my invention described and claimed in United States Patent No. 3,103,015, dated September 10, 1963.

In the invention of my said patent, I have described and claimed head-protecting headgear which combines an outer head covering of a type which is suitable for street and dress wear, such as a felt hat, or a uniform cap, combined with a head protecting shell that is associated with and carried by such outer head covering to be removable therewith from the head by the engagement of its edge portion between the inwardly-folded sweatband of the head covering and the head covering proper.

The present invention is likewise directed to a headprotecting headgear in which a head-protecting shell is associated with an outer head covering and is removably held thereon in a manner that the combined structure may be used as a unit for placing on the head and for removing therefrom; but having certain improvements and advantages over my patented structure.

It is, thus, one object of the present invention to provide a combination of an outer head covering with a headprotecting shell in which the two components are more securely, though nevertheless separately attached to one another.

It is a second principal object of the present invention to provide a combination of an outer head covering and a head-protecting shell which affords improved protection to the head.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a head-protecting headgear, of the character described, which is more comfortable to wear.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the protective headgear of the present invention will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiment is shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without any intent of limiting the invention to the specific details therein shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective View showing the head protecting headgear of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled head protecting headgear shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view looking into the head protecting shell insert of the headgear; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now, in greater detail, to the embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawing wherein the protective headgear is illustrated in the form of a uniform cap, the same is shown to comprise an outer head covering, generally designated as 10, including the head-encircling band, 12, which may be formed of fabric and a stiffening liner, 13, defining the head-receiving opening, 14; the enlarged crown portion or cap-top, 16, and a visor, 18.

The headgear of the invention further comprises a head-protecting shell, 20, having the head-receiving opening, 22, of an outer circumference adapted to fit snugly within the band 12 of the shell 20.

The head-protecting shell may preferably be molded of a synthetic plastic material which will provide a lighttwo or more points of their marginal edge portions.

weight, rigid-walled body that is inherently resilient to a degree, so as to be slightly yielding to a blow struck against it to absorb its impact to an extent, as well as to resist it.

The protecting shell 20 is of an inner circumference at the marginal edge portion of its head admitting opening 22 slightly greater than the head which is to wear it; sufficient to accommodate the sweatband, 24, which may be secured thereon by means of the band of welting, 25, to which it is secured and which is, in turn, secured to the marginal edge portion of the shell 20, as by the stitching, 26. Preferably, the sweatband 24 may be padded, as by lining it on its inner surface, facing the wall of the shell 20, with a padding material such as foam rubber or the like.

The shell 26 may be of a height greater than the height required to accommodate the crown portion of the head which is to be received therein, and may be provided, on its interior, with a sling which will fit over and contact the top of the head to thereby, at least partly, support the shell 20 on the head, and which is adjustable in depth, so as to adjust it to receive therewithin the desired portion of a head and maintain the shell in appropriate position on the head.

The sling may comprise a plurality of bands, 28, each preferably formed of a band of strong material, such as cotton or nylon, or like webbing, or of a suitably strong synthetic plastic material. Each band 28 is secured by one edge, as by the stitching 26, to the edge of the shell 20, in spaced relation to the others, and extends inwardly into the shell 20. Each band 28 is formed with a loop, 30, at its other end; the loops of the bands being joined by a cord or string, 32, passed through them, whose ends may be adjustably tied together to form a longer or shorter loop, to move the ends of the bands 28 further apart or closer together and thereby deepen or shorten the sling, to accommodate it to the shape of the head of the wearer and his convenience.

The crown of the shell 20 may be provided, on the interior thereof, at its apical portion, with a layer of padding material, 34, such as of foam rubber or plastic synthetic sponge, to provide reserve protection for the top of the head.

Means may be provided for separably interconnecting the head covering 10 with the protecting shell 20 a101I1g n the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, such means is shown to comprise recessed interiorly-threaded studs, 36, secured in spaced 'relation to one another to the marginal edge portion of the shell and projecting outwardly therefrom, cooperating, preferably eyeletted openings, 38, formed in the band 12 of the outer head covering 10, into which the studs 36 may be engaged, and the preferably ornamentally headed screws, 40, which may be threaded into the studs 36 from the exterior of the outer head covering 10 through openings 38.

In lieu of the studs and screws, 36 and 40, cooperating snap fastener elements, of a type well known and not thought necessary to illustrate or describe, may be used to releasably secure the shell 20 within the head covering 16; especially when the head covering is in the form of a felt hat, such as a fedora hat. However, with uniform caps, such as illustrated, the threaded stud-and-screw attaching means shown in the drawing is preferred, for its ornamental characteristics as well as for the reason that it enables the securing to the exterior of the head covering 10, along the front part of the band 12, the preferably adjustable and preferably elastic chin strap, 42, which may be secured in place by suitable openings formed in its ends that fit over the ends of the studs 36 projecting from the openings 38 in the band 12, or over the screws 40.

This completes the description of the head-protecting headgear of the present invention. It will be readily apparent that such headgear forms a single head-wear unit, suitable and capable of being used for street or dress wear. It will also be apparent that because the sweatband is attached directly to the protective inner shell, greater wearing comfort is afforded. It will likewise be apparent that the protective shell affords double protection to the head due to the provision of the sling and of the padding at the crown of the shell. It will be further apparent that the shell may be readily removed from the outer head covering for replacement in the same or another head covering.

It will be still further apparent that numerous modifications and variations may be made in the head protecting headgear of the invention, by anyone skilled in the art, in accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth, and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, the protection of the patentlaws for any such modifications and variations that may be made within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. A head protecting headgear, comprising, in combination, an outer head covering having a head receiving opening and a yieldably-rigid head protecting shell having a head receiving opening fitted snugly within said outer covering, with the edges of their head receiving openings in substantial register, said protective shell having a plurality of inwardly extending bands secured by one edge against the inner face of a marginal edge portion of the head receiving opening thereof, in preferably spaced relation to one another, said shell bands having their other end portion engaged upon a contractable element, to

thereby form a sling of adjustable depth adapted to rest on the head of the wearer, a sweat band secured to the edge portion of said head receiving opening of said protected shell inwardly of said band with its outer edge in substantial register with the edge of the head receiving opening of said shell, and means releasably interengaging said outer head covering and said protecting shell at spaced points along their marginal edge portions, said interengaging means comprising internally threaded studs secured on said shell and projecting from the exterior thereof, registering openings formed in said outer head covering, said studs extending into said openings, and a threaded element having a head threaded into each of said studs from the exterior of said outer head covering.

2. The protective headgear of claim 1, wherein said sweat band and said bands are secured to said shell by a common line of stitching.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,391,753 9/21 Baier 23 2,025,772 12/35 Punton 2-3 X 2,555,348 6/51 Lev 2-195 2,769,176 11/56 Grancsay et a1 23 2,941,209 6/ 60 Schooner 2-3 3,015,103 l/ 62 Zbikowski 23 3,055,012 9/62 Aileo 2-3 3,103,015 9/63 Plastino 23 FOREIGN PATENTS 332,994 8/ 30 Great Britain.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HEAD PROTECTING HEADGEAR, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, AN OUTER HEAD COVERING HAVING A HEAD RECEIVING OPENING AND A YIELDABLY-RIGID HEAD PROTECTING SHELL HAVING A HEAD RECEIVING OPENING FITTED SNUGLY WITHIN SAID OUTER COVERING, WITH THE EDGES OF THEIR HEAD RECEIVING OPENINGS IN SUBSTANTIAL REGISTER, SAID PROTECTIVE SHELL HAVING A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY EXTENDING BANDS SECURED BY ONE EDGE AGAINST THE INNER FACE OF A MARGINAL EDGE PORTION OF THE HEAD RECEIVING OPENING THEREOF, IN PREFERABLY SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID SHELL BANDS HAVING THEIR OTHER END PORTION ENGAGED UPON A CONTRACTABLE ELEMENT, TO THEREBY FORM A SLING OF ADJUSTABLE DEPTH ADAPTED TO REST ON THE HEAD OF THE WEARER, A SWEAT BAND SECURED TO THE EDGE PORTION OF SAID HEAD RECEIVING OPENING OF SAID PROTECTED SHELL INWARDLY OF SAID BAND WITH ITS OUTER EDGE IN SUBSTANTIAL REGISTER WITH THE EDGE OF THE HEAD RECEIVING OPENING OF SAID SHELL, AND MEANS RELEASABLY INTERENGAGING SAID OUTER HEAD COVERING AND SAID PROTECTING SHELL AT SPACED POINTS ALONG THEIR MARGINAL EDGE PORTIONS, SAID INTERENGAGING MEANS COMPRISING INTERNALLY THREADED STUDS SECURED ON SAID SHELL AND PROJECTING FORM THE EXTERIOR THEREOF, REGISTERING OPENINGS FORMED IN SAID OUTER HEAD COVERING, SAID STUDS EXTENDING INTO SAID OPENINGS, AND A THREADED ELEMENT HAVING A HEAD THREADED INTO EACH OF SAID STUDS FROM THE EXTERIOR OF SAID OUTER HEAD COVERING. 